The Fireseed Wars

FORTY-SIX

As the last gun was seated on the South Tower, Rylla pondered the. revelations that had arrived with her husband's latest dispatch. At first she'd been shocked to learn that Kalvan had made Verkan the Trader the new King of Greffa, but on further reflection it appeared to be an inspired choice. Verkan knew the City and was respected there. He was a brilliant general and of proven loyalty to Hostigos, something even gold couldn't buy. Maybe she'd see more of her friend Dalla, too.

Of course, absorbing Greffa meant that the war with Grefftscharr would not be over until King Theovacar was killed or deposed, as he would never rest until the jewel of Greffa was restored to his Kingdom. Still, Theovacar was a wretched ruler and completely untrustworthy. In cases like this, it was better to pull out the rotten tooth immediately rather than let it sit and fester. At long last, it appeared that the gods were looking down with favor on her subjects. Once the wars were over, she would raise the greatest temple to Allfather Dralm in the known world.

The entire population of the City of Thagnor had gone wild with joy when she had publicly announced that her husband had conquered Greffa City and annexed the Princedom of Greffa to Nos-Hostigos. Many in the crowd had reacted as if the wars were over; she knew better. The wars would only end with the destruction of Styphon's House and the death of King Tneovacar, or the complete annexation of Grefftscharr.

Rylla watched as General Alkides had the middle gun elevated less than a finger joint. Now that the Grefftscharrer Fleet no longer threatened the harbor, the artillery commander had moved three of the four rifled eighteen-pounders from the North Tower to the South Tower. With these additions, there were seven big guns to rain death and destruction upon the Host's heads. They had waited almost a moon, until the Grand Host had settled into its new camp, to fire the rifled cannon, lulling the Styphoni into a false sense of security. She wouldn't want to be in Lysandros' shoes when the first shells dropped out of the sky.

The range of the rifled guns was good for a distance up to nine or ten marches, more than twice the usual range for Zarthani cannon, which would put the shells right into the middle of Grand Host's encampment. They would cause Hadron's Own Lot of death and destruction when they landed.

Using regular cast-iron balls, Alkides fired the first ranging shots. The sudden appearance of artillery shot in their midst at more than twice the usual range didn't cause any noticeable stir from that distance.

Rylla thought the Styphoni might believe the shots were coming from the flanks. The Styphoni owned the mouth of the Thagnor River with gun emplacements along the southwest bank of the river, which cut off all direct Hostigi and neutral shipping to Thagnor City from the Sea of Aesklos. However, Prince Phrames' cavalry patrols had kept the Styphoni to their side of the river by attacking any parties that attempted to cross the Thagnor River onto Gythan territory.

The Rathoni and Sastrathi irregulars, who were harrying the Grand Host, usually stayed about twenty marches away during the day. Still, it was conceivable that a small gun might have been moved to within firing distance of the encampment. That illusion would be dispelled in a moment.

"Fire!" Alkides cried.

All seven guns went off with a roar that shook the tower top. One of the shells went off prematurely and lit up the sky overhead like a miniature sun. The others dropped on the Grand Host like balls of lightning dropped from Allfather Dralm's Sky-Palace.

The Styphoni encampment exploded like an anthill kicked over by a bucking horse. A gun was fired in return from a Styphoni forward position; the ball struck the embankment that faced the wall and disappeared into the earth. The Styphoni guns were within easy range of the rifled cannon.

As the gunners reloaded and swabbed their gun barrels, Alkides studied the shell fuses. When he was satisfied, he gave them over to the shell holders and fuse lighters.

He turned to Rylla, saying, "Your Majesty, we don't really have to aim. Everywhere I look there are scrambling troops!"

"Try for their field guns first, then anything that looks like it might be a fireseed magazine or food depot. We won't kill enough of them to make any difference, but I want to make their lives so thoroughly miserable they'll pull up stakes and move."

It took most of the rest of the day before the Grand Host evacuated their camp and retreated some twelve or more marches away, where they were barely visible. Meanwhile, as long as concentrations of Styphoni were in range, shells kept dropping on their heads. Alkides' estimated the Host's casualties at six to seven thousand, most of them wounded. He doubted that many of them would ever fight again even if they survived their injuries.

The Grand Host left behind broken bodies, guns, supplies and burning buildings: the work of an entire moon. Rylla knew it had to be demoralizing, especially for Lysandros, whose own throne was on shaky ground. She hoped that the Harphaxi King would be the next to break off from the Grand Host. It would be too much to expect the rest of the Grand Host to retreat to Nythros, but if it happened it would be a wonderful homecoming present for her husband.

Rylla missed Kalvan terribly, especially now that she was expecting. She'd been pregnant before so she understood the waves of emotion that rocked her body, but that didn't make her any less lonely. With all her "uncles" dead or gone, she really had no one else to rely on. True, Lady Eutare was her friend and confidant, but now Eutare was busy with her wedding plans. She and Prince Phrames were to be married at the Harvest Feast, hopefully, after the Styphoni were gone.

Until Kalvan returned for his Victory March through the City, she was alone and without her best friend. Fortunately, little Demia took up much of her days. She also had to admit that Thagnor City and her new subjects were growing in her affection. Of course, Thagnor was not Hostigos Town, but it would suffice until they were ready to return.